The word for today is…

retinue (noun) – The retainers or attendants accompanying a high-ranking person.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Retinue derives via Middle English from the Anglo-French verb retenir, meaning “to retain.” Another word deriving from retenir is retainer, which means, among other things, “one who serves a person of high position or rank.” In the 14th century, that high person of rank was usually a noble or a royal of some kind, and retinue referred to that person’s collection of servants and companions. Nowadays, the word is often used with a bit of exaggeration to refer to the assistants, guards, publicists, and other people who accompany an actor or other high-profile individual in public. You might also hear such a collection called a suite or entourage, two other words derived from French.

Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...